Model Railroad - How To - Installing feeder wires

All the track is laid and now I am installing feeder wires to ever separate piece of track.
This video shows the method I use, its a very common way of installing feeder wires, its simple and easy. Just remember to install to the outside of the rails and not the inside as the wire may cause derailment through contact with the loco's flanges.

[@richardclowes6123]

Hi there Luke. I have watched many of your scenic tutorials and loved them all and been inspired by your attention to detail. I have just watched your video on wiring the track and am amazed at the delicate and clean way you did it. Have to say I have watched many wiring videos but you have exceeded all of them in my expectations. You are truly a master of all things modelling. Will be looking out for all your vids by you of this type from now on. Sorry that I can''t afford to become a patrion as I've been forced into unemployment owing to Covid. I will review this situation when things return to normal. Once again, nice to watch a true master at work. Thanks a million, Rick Bulldog.

[@tonyrobinson362]

Thankyou just tried your method its brill thankyou I'm up and running.

[@mjsummers100]

This is great Luke. Best example of soldering dropper wires I've seen. Thanks.

[@BoulderCreekRailroad]

Mark Summers Cheers Mark, thanks for the very positive comment! Thanks, Luke.

[@Spinfin87]

I like your method best of attaching the feeder wires to the track. Other people use tons of solder and I kept wondering if that was really necessary. Your method is very discreet and clean. Nice work!

[@BoulderCreekRailroad]

Kedric Frick Thanks Kedrich, yeah it's pretty easy to put too much solder. Less is more, and once you paint and weather the track they are hard to spot. Thanks for the great comment. Luke

[@TheyMakeItLikeThat]

Luke, good sir! You have come such a long way!!!! Cheers!

[@cadecunningham2208]

Do you only put one feeder wire on each track because I’ve seen some people do two. Also, how far apart are they supposed to be and what do they connect to on the other side.

[@lionellance]

Great job. . Thanks for sharing. . Keep up the great work. .

[@BoulderCreekRailroad]

Lance Weber Thanks Lance, I'm glad you enjoyed the vid, I have plenty more on the way! Cheers, Luke.

[@herbertjohnston4608]

Excellent

[@Synthematix]

If you solder them to the track before fitting you can make a single hole in the board in the center

[@jackbrown2830]

Many thanks Luke

[@Tnapvrvideo]

Great share! How many volts run through your bus lines? And, how many volts travel up your feeders to the track? Thanks!

[@seye100]

The neatest solder job to a track i have seen yet. Is your lay out dc and your bus loop do you leave open at the opposite end or a conected loop? only asking because im working on wiring my layout i will be building so any advice on wirring is helpful.

[@BoulderCreekRailroad]

The layout is DCC and I just leave the bus wire open at the end, I don't connect a loop. Good luck with your layout. Cheers Luke

[@sparky107107]

I didn't even know you had trains. I just use to you doing JUST scenery.

[@BoulderCreekRailroad]

Yeah I do a bit of everything, building a working train layout is my main motivation for doing these video however I don't post many train specific videos like this one because I've discovered I'm much better at the scenery side of things. I had an almost complete (small) N scale layout before we moved house and it got dismantled, I'm currently working on a modular HO scale layout, it's modeled after the Australian prototype, V/Line in the mid 80's.

[@losercruiser011]

Luke Towan I'd love to see some videos on that

[@clearcreek69]

Will I also need to add feeder wires to my layout on top of block wiring as my layout suggests? Thanks

[@mikepowell926]

Now that wires are installed on track, what is next step. Am I wrong in think track polarity needs to be addressed? And how do you determine the polarity?

[@Robtheredengine]

Hi there mate, great how to video I was planning to do this with my layout and this is the video I am going to follow. I must ask what brand is the wire you use?

[@BoulderCreekRailroad]

Robtheredengine The feeder wires are Automotive wire and the brand is Powertech, I think its an Aussie brand, I cant remember exactly what the gauge of the wire is but they look very close to 20AWG. I have some 18AWG and the feeders are just slightly thinner.Thanks for commenting. Cheers, Luke.

[@manishsp1133]

Hi Luke , idk why the tracks are being are electrified can u just say why is it so or just can u share the link if u have already have a vedio on this?

[@auxmike718]

Have you ever done feeder wires on Z scale track?

[@epj900]

Hello there mate,I like your videos and your meticulous manner,but I wonder why you don't colour code the two drop wires for easy identification?

[@BoulderCreekRailroad]

+epj900 I think if I did this video over again I would definitely color code the wires, I did this video a while ago and I'm not sure why I didn't color code in the first place... I probably ran out or only had blue at the time? Thanks for the great feedback, always good to get some constructive criticism. Cheers Luke

[@epj900]

Thanks for the reply Luke, by the way I love your corrugated iron!

[@unbeatablej8977]

Can you do this to an analogue train set and how would you connect it to the controller

[@jackbrown2830]

Hi Luke how far apart do you keep the feeder wires from each other thanks jack.

[@BoulderCreekRailroad]

Jack Brown Hey Jack, I place feeder wires for every individual piece of track. I use flex track so the distance between feeders can be as far apart as two pieces of flex track or they can be just an inch apart, as long as each piece of track has a feeder wire coming from it. I even have feeders for every switch and even the pieces of track that are only a few inches long have their own feeder wires coming from them. The track joiners will carry the current between two pieces of track but for reliability it's best to have wires from every piece of track. Cheers, Luke.

[@kdkwholesalers]

You should have stripped and tinned the other end of the feeder wire that connects to your buss wire as well.

[@jjgravy]

What gauge wire are you using in this video? -JG

[@BoulderCreekRailroad]

+jjgravy Hi JG, it's been a while.... a long while! since this video, I'm trying to find the wire but if my memory serves me I think its either 18 or 22 gauge wire, quite thin. You could tru using thinner wire but then heating issues arise with high current. Hope that helps a little. Cheers Luke

[@TheNorefunds]

Why are you not useing roadbed

[@BoulderCreekRailroad]

The plan was to have track that was level with the ground. On main lines I use road bed.

[@rogersrailroadproductions9185]

Im new to this method what is the purpose of feeder wire? Is it to get a better voltage on the track?

[@BoulderCreekRailroad]

yeah that's right Roger, sometimes the track joiners alone aren't reliable enough to supply the power along the track and you can sometimes end up with dead spots.

[@rogersrailroadproductions9185]

Luke Towan so i can/should definitely use this on a garden railway?

[@tobiassandfeldandreasen6735]

Is it piko track

[@surerockco.models3452]

soLder

[@burnbabyburn-od5sy]

dont cut wire or track above youre layout nothing but problems will come from it